


Love in an Elevator

by leveragehunters (Monkeygreen)



Series: Soft Stucky, Warm Stucky, Little Ball of Sass [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: ...yet, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Banter, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Soft Stucky Week, Trapped In Elevator, they don't know each other, they work in the same office building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-08 18:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8855860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monkeygreen/pseuds/leveragehunters
Summary: Bucky wanted M&Ms. Steve just wanted to go home. Neither wanted to get stuck in an elevator. (Warning: may contain traces of peanuts, banter, and some fluff.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _Love in an Elevator_ by Aerosmith, because I am the most original person that ever lived :D. Written for [Soft Stucky Week](http://iamnotsebastianstan.tumblr.com/post/152264652360/hello-friends-so-i-made-this-post-saying-that) over on Tumblr.

Bucky blamed the M&Ms. In truth, like most historical occurrences, it was actually caused by a _series_ of events, each one carving out an ever more inevitable path to the end. But looking back, Bucky felt justified in laying the ultimate blame at the feet of the M &Ms.

He was working overnight to code some changes and work through a bug report—not that he minded: he could get so much more done with no one around to bother him and he could crank up the music as loud as he wanted—when, around eight pm, he got a craving for M&Ms. Not just any M&Ms, peanut M&Ms, the big bag, and there was only one place to get them at this time of night: the vending machines up on the twelfth floor.

Scooping up his security pass and his wallet, he headed out on his quest for confectionery, leaving the empty floor behind him.

Giant bag of M&Ms acquired, he was surprised to find someone already in the elevator when he got in to head back down to his floor. It wasn't an unpleasant surprise: he was tall and broad and blond, gorgeous in a suit that brought out the blue of his eyes, and he offered Bucky a nice smile and a, "Hey."

"Hey." Bucky flashed him a brief smile in return and took up position on the other side of the elevator. If he was bothered by things like that he'd feel scruffy in his jeans and his Henley, with his hair in a messy ponytail, but he wasn't. Stuck here overnight, all he really cared about was being comfortable.

They rode in silence past the next three floors when suddenly, between nine and eight, the elevator stopped. The lights flickered, dimmed, and went out, the emergency lighting snapping on in their place.

"Shit." It was very soft and deeply heartfelt.

Bucky looked over at the guy he was sharing the elevator with. "Not a good sign."

"No."

"You want to do the honours or will I?" Bucky asked.

"Do you mind?"

"Nope." The call button was on Bucky's side of the elevator anyway. He pressed the buzzer for security and when a voice answered, said, "So, you probably want to hear this as much as I want to be saying it, but we're stuck in the elevator."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was kidding."

"Hang on." Bucky waited. "Yeah, I see it. You're not moving. Give me a second. I'll see if I can do anything." The line went silent and Bucky leaned against the wall, tapping the M&Ms against his leg. The security guard came back. "Okay, there's nothing I can do from here," she said. "I'm going to have to get the maintenance guys on the line and they're going to have to come out. So you're going to be stuck in there for a bit."

"Any idea how long?"

"Hang tight. I'll come back with an ETA." The line went dead.

"So we wait?" the other guy asked.

"Looks like it," Bucky replied.

The stayed on their respective sides of the elevator. After a few minutes, the other guy started humming. It took Bucky a bit to place it: Love in an Elevator. His eyes narrowed. _Living it up while we're going down? I don't think so, pal._ "Buddy, if you think that's how we're gonna pass the time, you've got another thing coming."

The guy jumped, startled. "Sorry?"

"Love in an elevator?"

Confusion wreathed the guy's face as he stared at Bucky and Bucky hummed a few bars, both eyebrows raised. The guy went pink. "No! Sorry, it's just, we're in an elevator, it's a song about elevators. It popped into my head. I wasn't hinting at anything!" Bucky had never actually seen anyone flail while holding completely still and he had to hide a smile. "It wasn't a come on, just a stupid ear worm." The guy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up and making it flop over his forehead. It was kind of cute. "Tell you what, I'll just stand in the corner and not say anything else and you can pretend I don't exist."

"Nah, don't do that. I feel like I'd be missing out on quality entertainment." Bucky ripped open the bag of M&Ms and held it out.

The guy glanced down then up at Bucky hopefully. "Yeah?"

"Yup, help yourself."

A beaming smile lit up the guy's face as he pulled some M&Ms out of the bag. "I’m Steve, Steve Rogers, I work up at Fury and Hill on seventeenth."

"Lawyer?"

"If I say yes, will you still share your M&Ms with me?"

"I don't know," Bucky said, pretending to think it over. "That's a tough one."

"I'm not, I'm a legal researcher, but they still make me wear the suit."

"That's okay, then. I'm Bucky Barnes, don't ask, it's from my middle name, I'm a programmer down at Shield Data Security on sixth. You're heading home?"

"I was." Steve slumped back against the wall. "I've been at work since seven, so I'm hoping we're not in here too long. You?" 

"Only got in an hour ago, had a craving." He held up the bag. "Just my luck, hey?"

Steve smiled sympathetically.

The intercom crackled into life. "I've got good news and bad news, guys. Which do you want first?"

They exchanged a look and said, "Good news," simultaneously.

"Have you two been practicing that? Anyway, the good news is that the elevator's not going to collapse and drop you into the basement, if you were worried about that."

"Well, I wasn't before," Bucky muttered.

"The bad news is three of their guys are out sick and every crew's on call out, so it's going to be awhile before they get someone out here."

"How long's awhile?"

There was a long silence. "Have you guys got something to read?"

Steve groaned. **  
**

 

* * *

 

 

**Nine PM**

"I spy, with my little eye," Bucky said, letting his eyes roam around the elevator, "something beginning with E."

"Again? Really?" Steve folded his arms in a distinctly disgruntled manner.

"No, it's something different this time."

Steve grumbled, but started studying the elevator.

"Give up?"

"No." Bucky waited patiently, wondering if Steve was going to get it. At least Bucky hadn't picked _elevator_ again. He held out the bag of M &Ms and Steve took three, eating them thoughtfully. Then he grinned. "Eleventh floor button."

"How in the?" Bucky cast a suspicious look at Steve.

"I work with lawyers. They have twisty minds."

"It could have been the _eighth_ floor button."

"Could have been, but I figured you'd be more likely to pick the second one that started with an E." Steve took another M&M and tossed it into his mouth. "And I was right."

"All right, all right, you're an I Spy master," Bucky said, giving him a little bow and making Steve huff with laughter. "Your turn."

"I spy with my little eye something that starts with an E."

"Eighth floor button."

Steve shook his head. "Nope."

"Hmmm." Bucky kept looking. After five minutes he glanced at Steve, who smiled innocently. Bucky threw his hands up in the air. "Oh, come on!"

"What?"

 _So_ innocent, but Bucky wasn't fooled. "Open up."

Steve opened his mouth, Bucky measured the distance between them, and with perfect aim lobbed an M&M right into it. "Nice shot," Steve said before chewing and swallowing.

"I usually hit what I aim at. It's elevator, isn't it."

Steve smirked at him. "Yup."

"I think we need another game."

 

* * *

 

 

**Ten PM**

" _Love in an elevator, livin' it up when I'm going down, love in an elevator, lovin' it up 'til I hit the ground."_ They were sitting on opposite sides of the elevator, belting the song out at the top of their lungs. " _Gonna be a penthouse pauper, gonna be a millionaire, I'm gonna be a real fast talker, and have me a love affair._ " Bucky grinned at Steve. " _Gotta get my timin' right, it's a test that I gotta pass, I'll chase you all the way to the stairway, honey, kiss your sassafras._ "

Steve burst out laughing. "Okay, stop, stop! I give. _Kiss your sassafras_? I don't even know how I know all the words and I kind of wish I didn't!"

Bucky held up an M&M, Steve opened his mouth, and Bucky tossed it in. "You'd be amazed what nestles down in your brain. I gotta say, that's a hell of a set of lungs you've got there. They probably heard us down in the lobby."

"Good, maybe they'll be motivated to come and get us out." Bucky agreed wholeheartedly. It hadn't exactly been _unpleasant_ , being stuck in the elevator with Steve. At least the _with Steve_ part hadn't been; being stuck in the elevator sucked. But Steve was good company, Bucky liked him, he'd just rather be almost anywhere else with him. "So," Steve went on, "know any other songs about elevators?"

"Well, there is that one by the Pussycat Dolls..." Bucky mostly offered that one just to see Steve's reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

"No! _Absolutely not._ There is no way. That's where I draw the line."

Ten minutes ticked past in relatively comfortable silence, Bucky humming quietly under his breath.

Steve bowed his head in defeat. "Okay, teach me the words."

"There's a dance, too."

"I don't even want to know how you know that."

"Hey, I have to do something while my code's compiling..."

 

* * *

 

 

**Eleven PM**

"What made you want to be a legal researcher?" They'd migrated to the same side of the elevator, only a hand's breadth between them, M&Ms sitting on Bucky's knee. He could see how tired Steve was, his eyes half-lidded as he stared up at the dim lights, exhaustion in every line of his body.

"I don't know I really _wanted_ to, exactly. It's not like when I was a little kid I went around saying when I grow up I want to read case law and statutes and put up with lawyers on a daily basis." The corner of Steve's mouth quirked up and Bucky laughed softly. "And I never wanted to be a lawyer. I did want to help people, so after a bunch of different classes at college, I ended up with this."

"Does it let you help people?"

"It does, surprisingly. Not all the time, not every day, a lot of what I do is boring. Checking precedent for probate, divorce, property and checking rules in other jurisdictions and already I can see your eyes glazing over."

"No, no, I'm interested!" He was, sort of, mostly because he liked listening to Steve talk. His voice was nice. Soothing, even. Starting to get scratchy, though, Bucky guessed because of how tired he was.

"No you're not. It's okay, no one is, no can be, really, who doesn't do it. It's basically the legal equivalent of operating manuals and no one reads those for fun."

"Well..." Steve raised an eyebrow at him. "I am in IT, Steve."

"Point."

"Tell me about the helping people part."

"Class actions. Every class action suit needs a legal researcher and class actions only happen where a bunch of people have been hurt, usually by a big corporation. So when I get to work on those I know I'm actually making a difference to people who need it. Helping the little guy, you know? And I usually get picked when the firm takes those on."

"I'm guessing you're pretty good at your job."

Steve shrugged. "I'm okay. What about you?"

"I'm not bad, if I do say so myself."

"No, you idiot." Steve nudged him with his shoulder. "Why did you go into IT?"

"Don't let the good looks fool you, I'm a nerd at heart." Steve's gaze cut sideways and Bucky was intrigued to see his eyes flick over him before deliberately returning to his face.

"I'm not much for stereotypes, Bucky."

"Are you saying you think I'm cute?" Bucky teased. Steve's ears went pink. "Ha! You do."

"Tell me why you became a computer guy," Steve said with a longsuffering sigh. 

"It's pretty simple. I've always loved computers, I scraped together enough to go to school and get what I needed to work with computers, and now I write code. It's a pretty boring origin story. But I'm a well-rounded guy so I also spend time at the gym."

"I, uh, can see that."

With a slow, satisfied smile, Bucky said, "I told you you thought I was cute."

Steve sighed again.

 

* * *

 

 

**Midnight**

They were leaning against each other now, the M&Ms long gone. "No," Bucky was saying. "It was only ever me and Nat. I barely remember my mom, I was so young when she died, and I never knew my dad. They put me in the system and that's where I met Nat. She's, god, Steve, she's my whole family. I don't think I would have made it without her. Someone saw sense and they kept us together." Bucky rested his head on Steve's shoulder and Steve tipped his head to rest against Bucky's.

He didn't usually tell people about this, about growing up. But he felt like they'd been here forever, in this strange liminal space between floors, between moments, like he'd known Steve forever, like he could trust Steve with anything. " _Mostly_ they kept us together. Tried to. There were a few years we were split up. Hardest years of my life." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat to cover it. When he glanced down, Steve's hand was lying palm up on his thigh like an offering. Without hesitation, Bucky slid his fingers through Steve's and comfort flowed through him like honey.

"I can't imagine what that was like." Steve squeezed his hand. "It's always been me and my mom. She's not doing so great now but she can still kick my ass. She'd like you. She'd like you a lot, Bucky. You should—" Steve cut himself off.

Bucky shifted to face him. "Steve. Were you about to invite me home to meet your mom?"

Flushing, Steve said, "Uh, yeah, I think I was."

"Because you felt sorry for me?" Bucky didn't think that was it, but he had to ask.

"What? No, of course not."

"Then why?" Steve flushed pinker and Bucky slowly smiled, feeling a sudden rush of happiness, of warmth, that really didn't fit with being stuck in an elevator. "You like me."

"Shut up." There was no heat to it and he didn't let go of Bucky's hand.

"Nope. You like me. You were going to invite me home to meet your mom and we haven't even gone on a date yet."

Steve perked up. "Yet?"

"Well, yeah. Of course." Bucky wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but it felt like an inevitability. And not just one date. Many dates. As many as Steve would give him.

"Oh, _of course_." Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm not easy, Bucky Barnes."

"I don't know." Bucky tapped his chin, suddenly very conscious of the security camera. "I think for me you might be," he teased.

"Nope." Eyes warm, he gave Bucky's word back to him. "You're going to have to woo me. Or at least ask me out. None of this _of course._ "

Bucky nodded, as if he was thinking it over, then he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Steve's mouth, felt Steve smiling as he pulled away. "Steve Rogers, will you go on a date with me?"

"Of course." Steve rubbed his thumb over Bucky's knuckles, flashed him a quick, satisfied grin.

He had to squash the urge to lean in and kiss him properly. Steve would be on board, he was certain of that, but not here, not in front of the camera. "And then you can take me home to meet your mom."

Steve let his head thump against the wall. "Never gonna live that down, am I?"

"Never ever. I can't wait to meet all your friends, just so I can tell them about it."

"I'm regretting this already."

"No you're not."

Steve's eyes were serious as they met Bucky's. "No, I'm not."

 

* * *

 

 

**One AM**

"I'm so tired I think I can see through time." Steve was pale and there were deep shadows under his eyes.

Bucky snapped his fingers and held out his hand. "Give me your jacket."

"What?"

"Your jacket, give it here." Steve slipped it off and handed it over. Bucky folded it into a square, put it on his lap, and patted it. "Now, lie down. You're not gonna be too comfortable, but you can at least try and get some sleep."

"No, I'm not going to leave you here on your own."

"I'll be fine. I can amuse myself by thinking about all the things we're going to do to the people in charge of maintaining the elevators. Or where I'm going to take your for our first date. Now put your head down and get some sleep."

"No reason they can't be the same thing," Steve pointed out.

"I like the way you think, but stop trying to distract me. Now hurry up and put your head in my lap."

"Did you miss the part where I said I'm not easy?" Bucky glared and Steve laughed. "Here." He pulled his phone out of his bag and handed it over. "The code's 0704. I've got the Kindle app if you want to read." Steve stretched out and settled his head gingerly in Bucky's lap, then relaxed with a sigh. "I'm probably not going to be able to fall asleep," he said around a yawn.

"You can at least try." Bucky rubbed a soothing circle on his shoulder. "Close your eyes."

"Yes, Bucky."

Bucky wasn't surprised when five minutes later he was softly snoring, one arm loosely draped over Bucky's calf.

 

* * *

 

 

**Two AM**

One minute he had a lap full of pliant, sleeping legal researcher. The next he had a lap full of tense, confused, wide-eyed Steve. Steve was staring up at him, hands clenched, like he was two seconds shy of bolting.

He put Steve's phone down. "Hey. Steve. It's okay."

"What? Where?" His eyes darted around the elevator.

Bucky put a gentle hand on his chest, not holding him in place, just encouraging him to stay. "It's Bucky, remember?"

" _Bucky_." There was something in the way Steve said his name, like Bucky was a point of certainty in a chaotic universe, that made warmth settle in Bucky's heart.

"Yeah, Bucky. Go back to sleep. We're not moving anytime soon."

Obediently, Steve's eye slipped shut and he snuggled closer, drifting back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

**Three AM**

With a groan and a clunk, the elevator started to move, the lights flickering back on. Bucky's eyes opened. He'd drifted off at some point, one hand resting on Steve's chest, the other holding Steve's phone, which was now sitting on the floor. "We're moving. Steve, wake up. We're moving."

Steve snuffled, curled tighter, rubbed his face against Bucky's leg, then opened his eyes. "Thank god." His voice was raspy with sleep, his cheek was wrinkled from the jacket, and he looked more tired than when he'd laid down.

Bucky thought he was beautiful.

"Come on, up," Bucky urged. Steve scrambled to his feet, then reached down to haul Bucky up. Bucky handed him his phone, he shoved it in his bag, they both straightened their clothes and by the time the elevator doors opened on the ground floor they were half-way respectable.

The security guard was waiting and she opened her mouth. Bucky held up his hand. "No. We've been stuck in an elevator for most of the night. He's been at work since seven yesterday morning. We're going home. We'll fill out whatever paperwork you need when we come back." The security guard's mouth closed and she nodded.

"Fair enough. Let me see your IDs and I'll make a note." They complied and she waved them off with a 'safe trip home and a sleep well and a sorry for the inconvenience'.

Steve was longingly eyeing the padded benches scattered around the lobby. "It'll take me at least an hour to get home. Do you think she'd notice if I camped out here?"

"I think she'll call the police."

"The police have beds, right? In the jail?"

"Steve." Bucky steered him around and pushed him so he was sitting on one of the benches. "Wait here, okay? I'm going to get my stuff and then I'm taking you home." Bucky had been _trapped in an elevator_ ; his boss would understand. "I only live ten minutes away and I drove. You can sleep in my big comfy bed and no one will arrest you."

"Yeah?"

Bucky nodded.

"Will you sleep in the big comfy bed with me?" Steve blinked, seeming surprised. "Which I probably wouldn't have said if I wasn't this tired."

Smothering a laugh, Bucky squeezed his shoulder. "Yes, I'll sleep in the big comfy bed with you. Now stay here. I'll be right back."

"Don't go in the elevator!" Steve called after him.

"Not a chance, I'm taking the stairs."

It didn't take him long to get back to Steve and they made their way out to Bucky's car. Bucky unlocked the passenger door but before Steve could open it, he stepped closer. "Hang on, I just need to do one thing now that we're out of the elevator." Gently, carefully, he crowded Steve up against the side of the car, felt Steve's hands settle on his hips, and paused, mouth hovering over Steve's. "Okay?"

"Very okay."

Bucky grinned and kissed him, nice and easy, just a brush of his lips over Steve's, a promise of future kisses, a taste of what Bucky wanted to offer, and Steve was kissing him back, soft and gentle. It was warm and comfortable and he didn't really want to stop, but he made himself pull back.

With a little sigh, Steve dropped his forehead to rest on Bucky's shoulder.

It was the most natural thing in the world to loop his arms around Steve, pulling him closer. "Come on, let's get you to bed." 

"What did I tell you about not being easy?"

"Just keep telling yourself that, Steve," Bucky murmured and slid one hand up to cradle the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his short hair. "Just keep telling yourself that."

Getting stuck in the elevator had _definitely_ been all the M &Ms fault. Bucky was going to send the company a thank you note.


End file.
